Improvement in forward axles for carriages



H. McILHOY.

Fifth Wheel for Carriages.

Patented Sept. 8, 1868.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF oE.

HIRAM McILBOY, or POPLAR RIDGE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN FORWARD AXLES FOR CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 81,924, dated September 8, 1868;

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HIRAM MoILRoY, of Poplar Ridge, Cayuga county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Forward Axles for Carriages and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of the forward axle and its attachments, taken in the line or m, Fig. 2 and Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in both figures.

My invention consists in a novel construction of the pivotal connection between the forward axle and head-block, whereby the ordinary bolt, which passes through said axle or head-block of both, and which tends greatly to weaken the same, is dispensed with.

It consists, further, in uniting the axle and head-block by means of the pivotal connection and the upper and lower circles, through hook or angle-irons formed upon or attached to the upper circles engaging with or attached to {the lower circles in such manner as to avoid the use of athrough-bolt, as hereinafter described.

It further consists in casting circle in one piece with the pivot bar or plate, and in certain details of construction and arrangement hereinafter explained.

To enable others to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents the forward axle, B the headblock, and O the reach-pole, constructed in any usual or desired form and manner. On the axle A is mounted a bar or plate, D, extend- 111g lengthwise of the axle, and provided at the center of its length with an upright standard or socket-piece, a, and at or near its ends with the lower circle or segments 61 d thereof, the whole cast in one piece with bar 1), or otherwise firmly united thereto in such manner that the surrounding loops or loose gripes which unite the bar to the axle shall at the same time firmly unite the pivot-socket or pivots and circles therewith. cl d are steel circle cap-plates, which may be united to the circles d by bolts,

or in other suitable manner, said steel plates forming the frictional bearing-surfaces for the upper circle.

A second bar or plate, E, similar to D except that it is inverted, is united to the lower face of the head-block B, and is provided at its center with a pin or pivot, 11, which fits in a socket in standard a, and with upper circles e c, said pin and circle-plates being cast in one piece with the bar E, and firmly united to the head-block B, by means of loops or loose gripes, in such manner as to avoid perforating the head-block, and to strengthen rather than weaken the same. The upper circles e have hooks e 0 cast with, or otherwise firmly united to them, designed to grasp the steel cap'plates d on the lower circles, and to hold the head-block and forward axle in the proper working relative to each other.

Leather washers fare arranged in the socket a, surrounding the pivot b, and chambers or recesses are formed in the bearing-faces of the the reach (3, being pivoted to the axle at g in line with pivot 00, so as to maintain its rela tion to the reach when the axle is turned. The pivot g is formed 011 a plate, a, united to the axle A by loose gripes in the manner explained.

The advantages of the construction de scribed will be apparent. The circles being formed in one piece, or made solid with the bars or plates, and united with the axle and head-block, as explained, are not liable to get loose and work thereon. All the usual perfora tions and consequent weakening of the parts are avoided, and, by the arrangement and use of oiled leather packingin the chambers in the circles andflanged pivot-sockets, as described and represented, all dirt and dust are excluded, and the frictional surfaces are kept in close contact, thereby avoiding all rattling consequent upon the wearing away of the parts when constructed in the usual manner.

The relation of the pivot and its socket to the head-block and axle-plates may be reversed, and the external flange on the pivot-plate surrounding the pivot (shown at b) may be dispensed with, if desired, but the construction shown and described is believed to'be best adapted to secure the advantages specified.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The central pivot and socket, in combination with the hooks and flanges on the cir- 

